vi PREFACE. 



in their selectibn and the elegance and liveliness with 

 which they are described, render this one of the most 

 amusing books of the kind ever published, and it has 

 gained for the author a high and just reputation. 



Mr White's long series of observations were skilfully 

 and attentively repeated, and have tended greatly to 

 enlarge and correct our knowledge of those departments 

 of natural history of which he has treated. He may 

 be esteemed a worthy successor to Ray and Derham ; 

 while his remarks, being almost exclusively original, 

 are, in some measure, even better entitled to our 

 attention than the writings of these celebrated 

 naturalists. 



It has been thought proper to insert in the present 

 edition the author's Poems, partly on account of their 

 intrinsic merit, which is not inconsiderable, but prin- 

 cipally because they are upon local subjects, and 

 therefore naturally connected with the present work. 

 They are also valuable and appropriate, as illustrating 

 the author's strong attachment to the study of Nature. 



EDINBURGH, January 25 j 1883. 



